The Anaheim Ducks 22-year-old defenseman, Cam Fowler, will represent Team USA in the 2014 Winter Olympics TO BE held in Sochi in February.
Fowler is only the fourth Ducks player named to Team USA since the NHL’s participation in the Olympics began in 1998. Mighty Ducks legend Guy Hebert. Bobby Ryan and Ryan Whitney are the others. That's pretty good company for the young defender.
Cam is also the fourth youngest player to represent Team USA since 1998. Fowler joins Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry as Olympians.
I am thrilled for Cam Fowler. I wouldn't have seen this coming a year or two ago. This has been a breakout season for Fowler and deserves this level of recognition. He has shown tremendous maturity in his game and his ability to make quick decisions on the ice. In past seasons he has been prone to poor judgement plays, which often resulted in ill-timed goals against.
Fowler is already having a career year in term of points and plus/minus. He has 25 points ( 4G 21A) in 42 games to lead all Anaheim defensemen. In fact he is fourth overall in points for the Ducks. In addition, Fowler a career high plus-10 after having been a combined -57 in his previous three seasons.
In case you were wondering to yourself....
Isn't Fowler Canadian?
Fowler is listed as Canadian on the Ducks website. That's because he was born in Ontario Canada, but his mother is an American. Thank goodness for dual citizenship!
Other international experience per NHL.com...
Fowler has five career appearances for Team USA in international competition and his first on the Olympic stage. He won gold at the 2010 World Junior Championship and 2009 U-18 World Championship, and also represented the U.S. at the 2012 World Championship in Finland and Sweden, and the 2011 World Championship in Slovakia. Fowler also played two seasons in Ann Arbor with the U.S. National Training Development Program, recording 8-32=40 points with 44 PIM in 55 games with the U-18 team in 2008-09.
*** HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I told you the Ducks would take care of the Sharks at home! Anaheim starts 2014 without a regulation loss at home..that's 15-0-2 at the Honda Center people!
The Ducks can start the new year off on the right track with the next three games at home and nine of their 14 games in Anaheim during the month of January.
*** Lastly,
I loved every minute of the Winter Classic. Don't get me wrong, I strongly dislike both of the teams that participated, but man, what a thrill! Watching hockey being played in front of 100,000+, in the fresh air under a curtain of snow! Amazing stuff!
I wonder if there will be snow at Dodgers Statdium for the Kings and Ducks game later this month?
FINGERS CROSSED!
As always...thanks for reading!
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